A Mother's Pledge
by Dana E. Vassy
Summary: Scully makes a promise to her son


Title: A Mother's Pledge  
Author: Dana E. Vassy  
Rating: G  
Category: Kidfic, post-ep  
Spoilers: Requiem, Emily, All Things  
Disclaimer: Don't sue me, they're not mine, and I'm not   
in the mood. But I chose the name Vincent so nyer!  
Distribution: Yes to Gossamer, Ephemeral. And Liz,   
Legacy or my other frequent readers. If you haven't   
asked before, its scullys_no_slut@viceprez.fsnet.co.uk  
Feedback: How much more apparent does it have to become   
for you to accepot it? Authors NEED feedback. Use the   
above addy, merci beaucoup.  
Dedications: the song "I'd Give My Life For You" gave me   
the inspiration. And to Lissie, I'm sorry that me and   
Sherb went overboard in our gushiness. I don't care if   
it's not a word, the apology stands...  
  
Early morning sunlight filtered weakly through the   
nursery window. A soft breeze displaced the sky blue   
curtains, their light ruffling sounds disrupting the   
silence. Slowly, the dark corners were illuminated,   
bringing the neatness of the room into full view. As the   
light penetrated the gloom, it also awoke it's chief   
resident. Vincent Luke Mulder chose to greet the   
invasion in his usual fashion, his croaky cries rousing   
the room's other sleeper.  
  
Depleted by three months of single parenthood, Dana still   
found the reserve to lift the boy from his antique cot.   
He calmed as soon as he saw her sleepy eyes peering down   
at him. Rocking him gently in her arms, Dana went to   
survey the neighbourhood from the window.  
  
There was little sign of life, a postman and occasional   
cars darted over the landscape. It was painfully early,   
but babies didn't tend to respect normal sleep patterns.   
Smiling ruefully, she pondered over all that had happened   
in the last year. It was a mystery even now how she had   
been able to conceive, her doctors could provide no   
answers. But in all honesty, she didn't want answers.   
Why spoil something so wonderful by unearthing dark   
secrets and forces she had grown to loathe? Some truths   
were best kept hidden.  
  
Vincent gurgled happily, his breathing in time with his   
mother's. His light brown hair was tousled, but his   
cornflower blue eyes sparkled enough to tell Dana she   
wouldn't be going back to sleep any time soon. He was   
awake for the day. His tiny fingers grasped at nothing   
in the air, and she knew she didn't mind. She had been   
used to Mulder disrupting her sleep patterns for years.  
  
Blinking back tears at the thought of him, she began to   
sing lightly under her breath. It caught Vincent's most   
rapt attention, and he made little burbling noises in his   
bid to sing along. Most fascinating of all was his   
smile, toothless yet dazzling. He was beautiful, and   
mostly importantly hers.  
  
As she sang the last chorus of the Irish ballad, Vincent   
looked for her to continue. Noise comforted him; he   
seemed ill at ease when the house was quiet. Almost as   
uncomfortable as she was, waiting for the telephone to   
ring or praying for a knock on the door. All throughout   
her pregnancy she had fallen asleep with the television   
on, or listening to music on the radio. Anything to   
distract her from the emptiness of the apartment.  
  
Gazing at her son, she felt the words slip out before she   
was aware of what she was saying.  
  
"Aren't you adorable? So tiny, but very strong.   
You're going to make mummy so proud. I'll always be proud   
of you Vincent. Like your father, you'll be a great man.   
  
"You ask so little of me, just love and care. I want   
to give you everything God grants, and more. You deserve   
so much, and I never want to see you unhappy. What you   
need most of all are parents to look after you and   
support you. I promise, on my own life that I will be.  
  
"So innocent. You don't have any idea what you've   
been born into. The lies, the pain, the loss. You   
didn't ask for all of that. But I'm going to protect you   
Vincent. Mummy won't let the bad things that happened to   
me and Daddy come to you. If I have to die to make sure   
of that, then I would, in a second.  
  
"Do you know how precious you are? How much your   
daddy will love you? I knew all those nights when I woke   
up and thought he was beside me, that he would be one   
day. So many times I thought I had dreamed it all, that   
you weren't really here, and Daddy had never gone. But   
either way, I woke up and he wasn't there. I wanted him   
to see you when you were born; how messy you were and yet   
how lovely. He wanted to be there, and still wants to.   
And he will be, Vincent. Daddy's going to be right there   
with mummy.   
  
"He's not going to be a dream anymore. We'll be a   
family."  
  
And then she felt a familiar arm circle her waist, as a   
mysterious hand reached to smooth Vincent's unruly hair.   
Barely daring to draw breath, she tilted her head to see   
Mulder's sleepy form behind her.  
  
"Morning."  
  
"Mulder, you're not supposed to be up and about yet.   
The doctor said..."  
  
"I don't care. I haven't seen you in so long. I'm   
just home, and I want to spend every waking moment with   
you and our son. I want us to be happy. Now, let's dry   
those tears of yours, Scully."  
  
"But the injuries..."  
  
"Scully, I'm fine. You'll be the first to know if I'm   
not. I'm a big baby, and I don't hide pain well. I'll   
go back to bed in a while. But can't we have breakfast   
together? It'll be the first time we've been able to.   
It's been a long few days, and even your cooking has to   
be better than hospital gunk."  
  
"Okay, for a little while. You can sit with Vincent   
on the sofa. Carefully."  
  
"Yes, Dr Scully."  
  
Scully smiled as he laid a gentle kiss on her cheek. He   
really was home, as much of a smartass as ever. And she   
truly did love him for it.  
  
But for now, her concerns were the stomachs of her   
family. And so she toddled off to the kitchen to start   
the day.  



End file.
